Weddings are naturally special to the couples in question, but they are also important to family members and friends.  While matching custom pendants are a lovely way to commemorate a wedding for the bride and groom, pendants can also be given as commemorative gifts for the bridal party or as thank you tokens for special family members.  By incorporating a date, a special message, or a design that complements your wedding theme, you can customize a lasting memento of one of the most important days of your life.

Say Thank You with Jewelry

Bridesmaids, mothers, grandmothers, and other beloved family members deserve a special thank you on your wedding day.  Your wedding is likely a precious moment in their lives, too.  You can give these important people a specially-designed commemorative pendant that imparts your wedding theme as well as an engraved message.  Whenever they wear their pendant, they’ll be able to remember your thoughtful token as well as your special day.

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Contact a Jewelry Artisan or Do-It-Yourself

If you want to give custom jewelry as a thank you gift, but need an affordable option, consider buying simple sterling silver pendants from jewelry supply companies that are plain in shape like a tag or at least large enough for a message.  You can take the pendants yourself to an engraver who will engrave a permanent message for you.  On the other hand, you can locate a talented jewelry artisan in your area who will work with you to create one-of-a-kind designs that truly reflect the motif of your wedding.  A simple online search should produce qualified jewel craters in your area.

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Materials

Materials for your customized pendant can vary.  You can easily choose sterling silver or upgrade to 14K gold.  Of course, you might want to consider the location of your wedding when choosing your pendant material.  If you married in Vegas, a gold nugget might be in order.  However, if you married on one of the islands, you might consider a natural material like coral.  Your pendant can also feature mixed materials for a truly one-of-a-kind look.

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Design

When it comes to your design, you can opt for something related seasonally to your wedding date or perhaps a theme that ties in the decorative elements of your wedding.  If you’re going to carry orchids in your bouquet, perhaps an orchid shaped pendant would work for you.  You can incorporate your wedding colors into a pendant through enamel work or gems and gemstones.  Of course, there are certain timeless symbols associated with weddings and love like hearts, cupids, roses, and doves, but you can certainly consider symbols and shapes that represent joining circles, champagne flutes, castle turrets, cherries, trees—anything that reflects your wedding’s theme.

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What to Say

When it comes to including a message, it’s usually typical to include the numerical date of the wedding.  You can personalize your messages to fit the recipient in question or you might add something general such as “thank you for being part of our special day” or “your love means so much to us.”  Of course, the size of your pendant will necessarily dictate the length of your message, but customizing your gift with a special quote or proverb can also be a meaningful way to say thanks or to commemorate your love.

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Other Tips

Finally, when designing or commissioning custom pendants, try to be sure the item can easily be worn by your recipient.  Bride and groom silhouettes might not be something they would want to wear and you don’t want your gift simply to linger in a jewel box.  As a gift for special people, try to choose a design that both commemorates your day, but also works as something they can wear.  You might also want to consider how you’ll present your gifts—either at the wedding reception or, perhaps, during the rehearsal dinner.  You’ll be pleased to present such thoughtful gifts to commemorate your wedding, but the recipients of your pendants will be thrilled to receive them!

Author Bio: Guest post is contributed by Claire Windon on behalf of Custom Jewelry by Sorella. Claire is a freelance writer and events planner.